The Useless Skill Became The Most Powerful

006

Ronan picked up the egg while the merchant was still staring at it and placed it inside his bag. The young man's eyes widened behind his spectacles, and he immediately leaned forward.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because you were staring at it too much," Ronan replied, drawing the bag closer to his side.

"I was examining it. You brought it here to sell, didn't you?"

"It's still mine.” Ronan replied.

The merchant opened his mouth, but the words he wanted to say didn't come out. He drew his hand back from the table and looked at Ronan.

He drew a deep breath and settled back in his chair. When Ronan had first approached his stall, he had thought the young man needed money for a meal. Even after seeing the crystals, he hadn't expected anything like this.

Even the A-rank crystal hadn't surprised him as much as the egg. He studied Ronan's clothes again, trying to find something he might have missed.

Perhaps he had mistaken someone from a wealthy family for a poor Hunter. After all, he had also dressed himself as an ordinary merchant to avoid drawing attention.

However, Ronan seemed impatient to get his money, and his clothes were in a terrible state. The merchant couldn't decide whether he was hiding his identity or really as poor as he looked.

Ronan watched him quietly, remembering how he had leaned closer to examine the egg. He had barely looked up since seeing it, yet he still hadn't answered Ronan's question.

"Did you steal that?" the merchant finally asked.

Ronan's expression remained flat."It's none of your business."

"I only asked because..."

"I heard what you asked," Ronan interrupted. "Do you question everyone who comes here to sell something?"

The merchant adjusted his spectacles, his eyes briefly falling towards the crystals between them. He had been so surprised by the egg that he hadn't considered how the question would sound.

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"Then we should get back to why I came here."

Ronan had no intention of explaining what had happened in the nest. He had come to sell what he had collected, and there was no reason to tell a stranger about Darius or the guild.

Besides, the young man hadn't told him anything about himself either.

The merchant glanced towards the bag again, and Ronan reached for the nearest crystal.

"It seems you're no longer interested in buying."

"Wait, I'll buy them," the merchant said quickly, stretching out his hand.

Ronan stopped with the crystal still in his hand.

"You mean the crystals?"

"Yes, the crystals. You don't need to put them away."

The merchant drew his hand back and looked over the items on the table. He had already wasted enough time wondering where Ronan had obtained them, and he didn't want to lose the chance to buy them because of a careless question.

Ronan placed the crystal down again, but he kept his other hand on his bag.

"What about the egg?"

The merchant hesitated before shaking his head.

"I can't afford that one."

Ronan stared at him for a moment. He had expected the young man to make an offer, especially after the way he had been looking at it.

"You haven't even asked how much I want for it."

"It doesn't matter. I wouldn't be able to pay you what it's worth."

The merchant looked towards the bag, and the disappointment on his face made Ronan even more curious. He was trying to accept that the egg would leave with its owner, but his eyes kept returning to where Ronan had put it.

"Even if I wanted to buy it, I couldn't," he added. "I have enough money for the crystals. That egg is far too expensive."

Ronan lowered his eyes towards the table to hide the excitement spreading through him. He had picked up the egg because Darius had kept it apart from the others, and it had seemed foolish to leave it behind.

He hadn't known what made it valuable.

Now the merchant who had been ready to buy an A-rank crystal was telling him he couldn't afford it.

For a moment, he thought of the unpaid hospital bills. He had spent so long worrying about how to keep his sister's treatment going that it was difficult to believe something inside his bag could be worth so much.

However, the merchant still hadn't explained what made it special. Ronan needed to know that before deciding what to do with it.

He lifted his head, careful to keep his expression calm.

"What is the egg used for?"

The merchant immediately leaned forward again.

"You really don't know?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did.”

The young man looked at him, then glanced towards the bag as though he wanted Ronan to bring the egg out again. When Ronan made no attempt to reach for it, he pushed his spectacles up his nose.

"It's an extremely rare egg. There are people who have been searching for one for years."

"What makes it so rare?"

"It's difficult to find one even if you have the money to pay for it," the merchant replied quickly. "You can't simply walk into a market and expect someone to have it for sale."

He was speaking more eagerly now, his earlier disappointment forgotten. Ronan listened without interrupting, watching the young man's hands move as he explained.

"Most people won't even recognise it if they see it. They might pass it over without realising what they're looking at. But anyone who knows its value would do everything they could to get it."

Ronan kept his hand resting on the bag. The merchant was telling him plenty about how valuable the egg was, but he still hadn't answered the question.

"So, what does it do?"

"You need to find the others first," the merchant replied. "There are five eggs you have to gather together. Once you have all five, they can permanently cure any ailment, no matter how serious it is.”